Sash-balance.



' c. H. CRAIG.

SASH BALANCE.

10, 1909. s-sn'pnw 1.

Patented Aug. SHEET WITNESSES:

C'. H. CRAIG.

SASH BALANCE. APPLICATION FILED snr'r.9,19o0.

w I B I.

F Am C d H w c m y WITNESSES:

'CLARENGE H. CRAIG, OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

EASE-BALANCE.

Specification ofLettewe Patent.

Patented slug. 10, 1909.

Application filed September 9,1908. Serial Nfo. 455,258.

To all whom it may conc rn:

Be it known that 1, Limitation H. CRAIG, a citizen of the United vStates of America, residing at Boulder, in the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Im rovenients in Sash- Balanees, of which the ollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful 4 improvements in sash balances and has for its object to provide a spring actuated de-' vice which combines simplicity of construction with great practicability in use and by means of which the upper and lower .sashes of a window may be automatically and independently balanced and retained at any desired elevation.

Further objects of my invention reside in the provision of a spring which renders the vertical movement of the sashes equable'and of a means whereby the sashes are rendered self adjustable when they are in their lowermost position. I

I attain these objects by the mechanism 5 illustrated in the accompanying drawings in the various views of w ich like parts are sim larly des gnated and in which.

Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional view of the window casing with the sashes and the balancing means in o erative position. Fig. 2 a horizontal section taken alon a line 22 Fig. 1. Fig. a a vertical section through the upper portion of the window frame looking toward one of its sides. .Fig. 4a detail of the spring employed inv the invention. Fig: 5 a. fragmentary sectional view of the window frame and one of the sashes, showing the means wherebythe latter is suspended. Fig. 6 a face. view of the fastenin means shown in Fig. 5. Fi 7- 'a sectionai view of oneof, the winding rums with the cord in the position in which it is when the sash is in its lowermost. position; Referring to the drawings by numerals,

let the reference character 2 designate the window frame, the upper ortion 3 of which incloses a chamber 4 whic extends into the sides of the. frame. Secured upon the top board 5' of the frame. within the chamber 4 and in central relation to the former, is a hollow 0st 6 u on which are mounted two ident-ica windmg drums 7. Each drum consists of two parallel disks which are connected by means of. a plurality of'equidistant u right pins 8 which are integral with the ower one and riveted into correpost 6 and to one of the connecti sponding apertures of the upper one. The pins 8 constltute collectively the working ace of the drum upon whic is wound the sash cord or chain from which the sash is suspended. The lower drum is designed to balance the lower sash, while the upper one is connected with the upper sash of the WHIdOW and the cords or c ains 9 are connected with the respective drums by being passed around .atrundle 10 which .is secured between the parallel disks of the drum] at a point'outslde its working face. After the middle portion of each cord .has been passed around the respective drum and the therewith associated trundle, in the manner illustrated in Fi 7 of the drawin s, its oppositel exten 1n ends are .passe over guade r01 ers 12, which are rotatably mounted'at the extreme ends of the chamber 4 through 0 enings in the top board 5, and arehsecure to the sides of the corresponding sas v The means by which the extremities of the cords are fastened are shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and consist of a leaf-spring 13 which is secured within the sash groove by means ofa screw ornail 14 andwhich is formed in its upper extremity. with anaperture to receive a hook 15 which is fastened to'the end of the cord or chain. The lower portion of the spring 13 is curved outwardly to frictionallyengage the opposite surface of the ide way in the window frame through which the sash moves. and

v the sprin is thus em loyed, not only to prevent 'ratt mg of all tting sashes, but to aid in retaining the sash inits adjusted position.

VVith-in each of the drums 7 is a coil band spring 16 the extremities of which are respectively-secured within a groove in thse .pms and this spring, which has been s own in detail in Fig. 4, is thickest at its innermost extremity from where it is gradually thinned towards its opposite end. The object of the peculiar construction of the springs is to render the movement of the sash which is balanced thereby, equable irrespective of the latters elevation as will hereinafter be explained and in connection with this feature of my invention, Iwish it understood that, if so desired the spring 16 may be made of even thickness and gradually narrowed from its inner to its outer extremity.

When one or the other of. the two sashes comprised in a window is in its lowermost I position, the cord or chain 9 engages, as is shown in Fi 7, one'half. the circumference of the trun e 10 and the opposite half of the winding face of the drum which, as stated hereinbefore, is formed by the p1ns8 which connect the parallel disks of the drum andare arranged concentrically with res ect thereto. The cord 9, in this position, is ree to adjust itself, should the sash to which its ends are attached, beout of its proper ad- 'ustment and it will thus be observed that y these means the danger of binding of the sashes within the guide grooves of the frame is obviated, their even movement assumed and the careful adjustment of the cords required in other devices of this class rendered unnecessary. The spring which, when the sash is in its highest position is entirely or partly-relaxed, 1s wound during downward movement of the sash and by its tension retains the latter at any desired elevation in which function it is aided by the frictional contact of the springs13. with the windowcasing. As each convolutlon is wound upon the other the ower of the spring increases, so that the e ort required to lower the sash becomes continually greater as the sash descends. If the spring were com osed of a band of even flexlbility it would ave to be made sufliciently weak to permit young or feeble persons to o erate the window in which case its qualitles to retain the sas in its adjusted (position, would be materiall impaired, an if made of suflicient strengt to adequately perform this last-named function, the window could be manipulated only by those physically able to overcome the tens1on .of the sprin' By constructin the spring of a coile band whose flexi ility gradually increases from its inner to its outer extremity, as shown and described, the

' variation in the tension of the spring, while being wound or unwound, is rendered less noticeable and its strain upon the sash is substantially even irrespective of the latters position in relation to the window frame so that the movement of the sash is equable and easy while the sprin is of sufficient strength to retain the latter in its adjusted osition.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 4 v 1. The combination with a window-casing and a sash slidably mounted therein, of a horiaontal spring-actuated drum having a trundle beyond its working face a rope or chain whose ends are secured at opposite sldes of the sash, wound u on the drum in engagement with the trun 1e so that when I the said sash is in its lowermost position the sa1d cord or chain is free to adjust itself longitudinally, irrespective of the drum.

2. The combination with a window casing and upper and lower sashes slidably mounted therein of a vertical post secured above the said sashes at e ual distances from their sides, u per and ower wheels rotatably 'mounte upon the said post, s rings within the wheels one of their ends ing secured thereto while their opposite ends are fastened to the post, guide rollers above the side faces of the said sashes, a continuous ro or chain wound around each wheel its en s extending oppositely therefrom, the ro e or chain connected with the upper wheel eing secured at its ends to the upper sash and that connected with the lower wheel having its extremities fastened to the lower sash.

3. The combination with a window-casing and a sash slidably mounted therein, of a hollow vertical post secured above the latter at equal distance from its sides, a wheel rotatably mounted u on the post and composed of parallel isks connected by ins which are integral with one and rivetet to the other and arranged concentrically with reference thereto, a spring having its ends secured respectively to one of the said pins and in a slot of the said post, and a cord or chain wound in engagement with the said pins, its oppositely extending ends being secured to the said sash.

4. The combination with a window casing and a sash slidably mounted therein, of a secured above the said sash at equal distances from its sides and a continuous rope or chain wound around the said drum its oppositely extending ends being secured at opposite sides of the sash.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE H. CRAIG.

Witnesses:

CHAS S. SICKLESTEEL, 'W. W. Forms. 

